Priscilla Barnes (born 1953 or 1954^[1]) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Terri Alden in the ABC sitcomThree's Company between 1981 and 1984. Barnes also has appeared in films, includingA Vacation in Hell (1979),Licence to Kill (1989),Stepfather III (1992),The Crossing Guard (1995),Mallrats (1995),The Devil's Rejects (2005) andThe Visitation (2006). From 2014 to 2019, Barnes played Magda Andel in theCW comedy-drama seriesJane the Virgin.

Priscilla Barnes
Barnes in 2006
Born	1953 or 1954 (age 70–71) Fort Dix, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	Antelope Valley High School
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1973–present
Known for	Three's Company Jane the Virgin
Spouse	Ted Monte ​ ​ (m. 2003)​

Barnes was born inFort Dix, New Jersey,^[1] the third of four children of a father who was amajor in theUnited States Air Force and a mother who was ahomemaker. Her childhood was marked by a series of moves across military bases throughout the country before her family settled inLancaster, California. After graduating fromAntelope Valley High School at age 17, Barnes relocated toSan Diego, working as a waitress and a dancer.^[1]

Barnes' first break came whenBob Hope saw her in a local fashion show and invited her to join his troupe for a 1973 performance atWalter Reed Army Medical Center inWashington, D.C. She subsequently moved toLos Angeles to pursue a career in showbusiness.^[1] She appeared as anAmazon inThe New Original Wonder Woman alongsideLynda Carter as the title character. Her second break came at 19 when she metPeter Falk, who offered her a one-line part in an episode ofColumbo. This led to a series of bit parts in films such asThe Seniors (1978) andDelta Fox (1979).

While working as a hostess at a Hollywood nightclub, Barnes posed nude for the "Pet of the Month" photo layout in the March 1976 issue ofPenthouse magazine under the pseudonym Joann Witty.Penthouse later wanted to republish the photos under Barnes' real name in 1982 after she had become famous forThree's Company. The issue was argued in court, asPenthouse wanted a judge to rule on the legality of publishing the pictures using Barnes' real name. The case involved a handwritten addendum to the standard model release contract that all models sign. WhenPenthouse lost the initial case, it appealed to theNinth Circuit Court of Appeals. The appellate court mostly sided with Barnes and ruled that the handwritten addendum was legally binding, precludingPenthouse from republishing the photos using Barnes' real name.^[2]

In 1976, Barnes began studying acting with coach Sal Dano, whose students includedTom Selleck,Robert Hays andCatherine Bach. In 1978, she played a leading role in the CBS action seriesThe American Girls, which was canceled after seven weeks. Subsequent parts included the horror filmTintorera and television series such asStarsky & Hutch,Vega$,Kojak,The Rockford Files andThe Love Boat, as well as the 1978 TV version ofThe Time Machine and the 1979 television filmA Vacation in Hell. In 1980, Barnes landed a supporting role in the romantic comedy filmSunday Lovers.^[1]

In 1981, Barnes was cast as Terri Alden on the ABC sitcomThree's Company afterJenilee Harrison served as interim replacement toSuzanne Somers, who had left the series as a result of contractual dispute with producers. The part, which is Barnes' most notable role, brought her instant public recognition.^[1][3] Barnes initially auditioned for the role of Chrissy Snow in 1976 but lost the part to Somers.^{[citation needed]} She stayed with the show through the series finale in 1984, appearing in a total of 70 episodes.

In the 1998 TV programE! True Hollywood Story, Barnes calledThree's Company the "three worst years" of her life. She revealed that after shooting the first few episodes, she felt "uncomfortable" on the set, mostly because of tension among the cast members, and unsuccessfully petitioned the producers to release her from her contract.^[4] Barnes has retained her friendship with costarsJoyce DeWitt andRichard Kline, with whom she has made public appearances.^[5] Barnes was portrayed by actress Anne Ross in the 2003 television movieBehind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company.^[1]

In 1982, Barnes starred in theAaron Spelling made-for-television filmThe Wild Women of Chastity Gulch. AfterThree's Company was canceled byABC in 1984, Barnes accepted guest-starring roles on television shows such asHotel,Murder, She Wrote andHighway to Heaven. In 1987, she starred in the pilot for the sitcomShe's the Sheriff, playing the title role. Barnes later left the project and was replaced by Suzanne Somers.^[6] The following year, Barnes returned in a starring role in the action comedyTraxx oppositeShadoe Stevens.

In 1989, Barnes appeared in theJames Bond filmLicence to Kill asDella Churchill and in the underwater sci-fi/action thrillerLords of the Deep. In 1992, she starred in the NBC television moviePerry Mason and the Case of the Reckless Romeo withRaymond Burr and in the horror filmStepfather III. In 1995, she appeared in the cult comedy filmMallrats and inThe Crossing Guard withJack Nicholson. Barnes made a cameo appearance in the 1999 comedy-drama filmMumford and appeared in many other smaller independent and made-for-television movies during 1990s and 2000s. She appeared in the 2005 horror filmThe Devil's Rejects, directed byRob Zombie.^[7] and the filmsThr3e (2006),The Visitation (2006) andAmerican Cowslip (2009). In 2012, she costarred as Vicey Hatfield inHatfields and McCoys: Bad Blood. In 2013, she appeared inDisaster Wars: Earthquake vs Tsunami.^[8] In 2007, Barnes appeared at the annualNew York International Fringe Festival asHillary Clinton in Nick Salamone's playHillary Agonistes.^[9]

In 2014, Barnes was cast in a recurring role as Magda Andel, the mother of Petra (played byYael Grobglas), in theCW comedy-drama seriesJane the Virgin.^[10] The series ended in 2019 after five seasons. Barnes appeared in a total of 41 episodes. In 2019, Barnes appeared in theBloomington Playwrights Project's production of Christy Hall'sTo Quiet the Quiet.^[11]

Barnes married actor Ted Monte.^[12][13]

• Official website 
• Priscilla Barnes atIMDb
• Priscilla Barnes atRotten Tomatoes